Time-controlled apparatus



Aug. 26, 1930. R w, JOHNSON 1,774,275

TIME CONTROLLED APPARATUS Filed Aug. 12, 1926 INVENTOR.

Patented Aug. 2 6, 1930 BOY 'W. JOHNSON, MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, TO THE 'IIIE-O-RTA'I' CONTROLS COMPANY,

Assmxoa, 1w imam: 'sssremmiwrs, A, conroaarron or mrmn TIRE-CONTROLLED APPARATUS Application filed August 12, 1928. Serial No. 128,773.

This invention relates to improvementsin time-controlled apparatus including a timing unit and a unit controlled thereby, and more particularly to the construction and 5 arrangement of the means .providing an Operating connection between such units.

The various gas appliances of the type used in the home, such as water heaters, incinerators, driers, etc. are now commonly controlled by a timing unit or mechanism operable to automatically cause closin of the as supply valve after the burner o the app iance has operated a predetermined period of time as'determined by the setting 16 of the timing unit. The present improvement contemplates the provision of apparatus of the character referred to wherein the timing unit is directly and positively connected to the unitor member to be controlled 20 by a plurality of inter-connected rigid members or links, the connecting links completely enclosed and protected.

Another object is to provide improved apparatus of the character referred to for controlling a valve and wherein the operating parts of the timin unit are connected directly to the valve y means of a rigid and positive connection.

Another object is to provide improved apparatus of the character referred to which is simple and compact in construction, positive in operation, and wherein the connecting parts between the timing unit and the member or unit to be controlled are connected and guided in such manner that they provide at all times a direct and positive connection between the timing unit and the member controlled thereby.

Other objects and advantages will hereinafter appear.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention one embodiment thereof is shown in the drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevational view, showing the improved apparatus applied to an incinerator of the type adapted for use in the home; and

Fig. 2 is a central vertical sectional view through the improved apparatus.

The casing or gas supply connection 10 being A manually-operable disk 20.is fixed on the shaft 21 journaled in casing 17 and provided with the laterally extendm 1% 22 arranged to catch back of the shouder 23 of a latch 24 upon counter-clockwise movement to the position shown, the latch bein pivotally mounted on the pin 25 and 'urge d into and held in latching position by the spring 26.

The timing unit is provided with suitable clockworks including a main spring 27 mounted on the shaft 28 to which is fixed an arm or crank 29 connected to latch 24 through the member 30, a pin 31 bein fixed in arm 29 and arranged to slide free y in a longitudinal slot 32 in member 30 whereby counter-clockwise rotation of arm 29 is permitted independently of an accompanying movement of latch 24. The pin 31 is arranged to engage the upper end of slot 32 when arm 29 is rotated clockwise to a prede termined position to pull upwardly on member 30 and'cause clockwise movement of latch 24 about pin 25 out of latching engagement with lug 22. The disk 20 is connected to valve 11 through the link 33 and plunger 34 pivotally connected at their adjacent ends by the pin 35, the upper end of link 33 being pivotally connected at 36 to disk 20. As shown, plunger 34 extends into and is guided by nipple 19 for axial movement, the ,splunger being supported in alignment with the valve stem 15 and engaging the latter so that upon counter-clockwise movement of shaft 21 the plunger is moved axially to open valve 11 against the action of spring 16.

Lug 22 is arranged to catch back of shoulder 23 of the latch when disk 20 has been rotated to the position shown, in which position of the disk link 33 and plunger 34 are almost the cloc works an in alignment with each other. Theclock mechanism isset by the handle or crank 37 fixed on shaft 28 and provided with the pointer 38 arran d to move over the dial 39 on casin 17 an to engage the stops 40 and 41 for t e pur ose hereinafter explained. The shaft 21 an disk 20 carried thereby are rotated by the handle or crank 42 fixed on shaft 21.

The timing unit just described, which may be of any suitable construction, is more fully shown and described in the patent to Gau er et a1. 1,652,524, December 13,1927, and for this reason has only been shown and described with suflicient clearness to enable those skilled in the art to understaiul the manner in which such a suit may be embodied in the present improved apparatus.

When it is desired to operate the gas burner for a given period of time, such as thirty minutes, for example, the crank 37 is rotated in a counter-clockwise direction to the point 30 on dial 39, this movement of the crank operatin to wind u the main spring 27 of permitting operation thereof to cause gradual clockwise movement of the pointer 38 back into engagement with lug 40, after a period of thirty minutes. This setting movement of the clockworks also causes a corresponding downward movement of member 30 to permit latch 24 to drop into latching position so that upon subsequent counter-clockwise movement of crank 42 and disk 20, fixed for rotation with the latter, lug 22 will catch back of shoulder 23 of the latch whereby the link 33 and plunger 54 are held in the position shown for the period of time elapsing until latch 24 is raised out of latching or holding position upon engagement of pin 31 with the upper end of slot 32 to permit closing of valve 11 by the action of spring 16.

Suitable packing 43 may be provided in nipple 19 to insure against leakage of gas from casing 10 into casing 17 by way of the nipple, this packing being held compressed by a spring 44 compressed between the packing, as shown, and a shoulder 45 with which plunger 34 is provided.

The lug 41 limits counter-clockwise setting movement of shaft 28, and when the latter is rotated to engage dial 38 with this lug the timing unit is set to permit operation of the burner for the maximum period oftime.

While the improved apparatus has been shown applied to an incinerator, it will be understood of course that the invention is of much broader adaptation and that the improved apparatus may be applied to other appliances as well, such as water heaters, driers, etc. Furthermore, the member or unit to be controlled may be of a different type than the valve shown, such as an electric switch, for example.

Various changes may be made such as in the size, shape and arran ement of the partswithout departing from t e spirit of the invention or the sco e of the claims.

The invention 0 aimed is:

1. In a device for use with a gas appliance having a valve casin and a s ring closedvalve therein, the com ination o a nipple secured to the valve casing, a plunger slidable in the nipple and engageable with the valve for opening the same, a casing surmounting the nipple, a disk rotatably mounted in the casing and a link eccentrically connected with the disk and pivoted to the-plunger.

2. A device for use with a gas appliance having a valve, a plunger cooperable with and controlling the valve, a casing, a manually operable shaft mounted in said casing,

an element fixed to rotate with the shaft, a

link eccentrically connected to said element and pivotally connected to the plunger, a trigger pivotally mounted in the casing and cooperable with said element for holding the same against movement and a valve spring normally urging said valve to closed position and exerting torque upon said element through said link and plunger to cause rotation of said element upon release of said trigger.

' 3. In a device of the class described having a valve with a reciproca ble valve stem thereon, a casing, a setable time device in said casing, a trigger operated by said time device and a rotatably mounted element controlled by said trigger, the combination of a plunger for actuating said valve stem, a guide mounted on said valve and maintaining said plunger in a position to reciprocate with said valve stem and a link connected to said plunger and eccentrically connected to said rotatably mounted element, said llnk being operable to hold said plunger and hence sa d valve stem in a given position upon sa d trigger and time device being set to hold said rotatably mounted element in a given position.

In witness whereof, I hereto aflix my signature.

ROY XV. JOHNSON. 

